A friend recently submitted a question to me in regard to her daughter. I liked it so much I decided to post it as a blog with my response.

Q:  My youngest loves to write stories and wants to be a writer when she grows up. She is only 12, but she is always writing. She thought it was so cool that I have a high school friend who is an author. Her stories now are just kid stuff but I want to encourage her and help her. Do you have any ideas for what I can do for her?

A:  Just keep letting her write out of passion and interest rather than trying to make it into a hobby or something she has to do. You could also encourage her by "publishing" some of her better stories. Have her draw pics or find non-copyrighted graphics online and then put it all together on a computer and print it at an office store with a spiral binding. It might make a special gift for a younger sibling, friend, or cousin!

Also, Reading Rainbow has a national young authors writing competition. Several of my friends' children placed in the Detroit area with a couple going to the national level. They won $1000 for thier local library and prizes for themselves. So if she is competitive, that might encourage her. Other organizations have writing competitions also, but when searching online, make sure to stick with familiar organizations not ones that are offering to publish the winners in a compliation. Those kind are just trying to sell proud parents an expensive book. Be world wide web wise.

If she is a people person, she could offer to read her stories at the library or if she is a leader she could start a story group for young kids at the library. If she is passionate about caring for others, she could go read to senior citizens in a nursing home.

So, my suggestion is to find her OTHER talents and engage her writing to have a purpose eg. gift giving/empathy first option or competition/being-in-the-spotlight second option, etc.

Writing is often its most inspirational when filled with passion and meant for a purpose.

Thanks for asking my friend!